Coleoid beaks from the Nusplingen Lithographic Limestone (Upper Kimmeridgian, SW Germany)

Abstract

Over twenty specimens of coleoid beaks were recovered from the Nusplingen Lithographic Limestone (Upper Jurassic, Late Kimmeridgian, Beckeri Zone, Ulmense Subzone; SW Germany). Based on their morphology, four forms of lower beaks and three forms of upper beaks can be distinguished among the finds. Two gladii of Trachyteuthis hastiformis are associated with a complete beak and hence enable taxonomic assignment of two beak forms. In one of the two specimens, the beaks are still articulated. A third specimen shows another form of upper and lower beak on one slab, which is tentatively interpreted as the beak elements of Plesioteuthis prisca. The largest type of upper beak probably belongs to Leptotheuthis based on its scarcity and size. The remaining two forms are of uncertain taxonomic affiliation. The lower beak of Trachyteuthis resembles that of Recent Octopus and thus suggests a close phylogenetic relation to the Octopoda, as the lower beak of Vampyroteuthis has a different morphology. These originally partially chitinous structures were discovered in the Fossillagerstätte of Nusplingen because the bituminous sediments still contain a significant portion of the original organic matter. This might be the case because of a low permeability of the respective strata. Otherwise, without the color contrast, these delicate structures would hardly be discernible against the carbonate matrix.

Diversity, Morphology, and Phylogeny of Coleoid Cephalopods from the Upper Cretaceous Plattenkalks of Lebanon–Part II: Teudopseina

“…The origin of octopods and cirroctopods from trachyteuthidids appears plausible, but trachyteuthidids show no evidence of a median field reduction in contrast to other teudopseid subgroups (see ). Nevertheless, the soft-part morphology of Late Jurassic trachyteuthidids justifies their placement within the stem-group of the Octobrachia (Klug et al, 2005;Fuchs, 2006c;Fuchs et al, 2007) and the present study on their Late Cretaceous relatives supports that hypothesis. The genus Glyphiteuthis can be now characterized by eight arms equipped with long cirri and sessile circular suckers, two pairs of fins, and octopod-like eye capsules (for the latter see Nixon, 1998).…”

Diversity, morphology, and phylogeny of coleoid cephalopods from the Upper Cretaceous Plattenkalks of Lebanon-Part I: Prototeuthidina

“…They usually occur solitarily but are occasionally found in situ within the body chambers of ammonoids (e.g., Lehmann 1976Lehmann , 1980Lehmann , 1990Tanabe and Landman 2002;Kruta et al 2011;Tanabe et al 2013) and nautilids (e.g., Dietl and Schweigert 1999;Klug 2001). Flattened jaws have also been preserved in situ in the buccal portion of exceptionally well-preserved late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic coleoid fossils retaining soft tissue remains (Saunders and Richardson 1979;Klug et al 2005;Fuchs 2006a, b;Mapes et al 2010;Fuchs and Larson 2011a, b). In addition to these flattened in situ jaws, unflattened isolated jaws referable to Coleoidea have recently been found from the Upper Cretaceous forearc basin deposits of Hokkaido, Japan (Yezo Group), and Vancouver Island, Canada (Nanaimo Group).…”

Glyphiteuthis rhinophora n. sp., a trachyteuthidid (Coleoidea, Cephalopoda) from the Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous) of Mexico

“…Particularly, their Sepia-like granulation on the dorsal surface of their gladius led many authors to assume that it represents a cuttlebone of a fossil sepiid (e.g., Rüppell 1829;Schevill 1950;Donovan 1977;Bizikov 2008). In contrast, more recent publications about the trachyteuthidid soft part morphology favor affiliations with the Octobrachia (Bandel and Leich 1986;Haas 2002;Donovan et al 2003;Klug et al 2005;Fuchs 2006a, b;Fuchs and Weis 2009). A trachyteuthidid gladius found in Cenomanian platy limestones of the recently discovered Tanque Nuevo locality near the town of Cuatro Cienegas (State of Coahuila, northeastern Mexico) is exposed in the ventral aspect and therefore yields essential insights into the cross section of a trachyteuthidid gladius.…”

“…Schevill (1950) therefore assumed septa in Trachyteuthis palmeri (Schevill 1950), but clear evidence of a chambered phragmocone with horizontally oriented septa was never presented in association with a trachyteuthidid gladius. Soft parts, which are well known from Trachyteuthis and Glyphiteuthis, rather suggest octobrachian affiliations (Bandel and Leich 1986;Donovan et al 2003;Klug et al 2005;Fuchs 2006a, b;Fuchs and Weis 2009 Remarks Placement of the genus Glyphiteuthis within the family Trachyteuthididae is commonly accepted owing to the presence of granules on the dorsal gladius surface. Compared to the genera Trachyteuthis and Actinosepia, the gladius of Glyphiteuthis is more slender and anteriorly sharply pointed.…”